Just like when you see a doctor in Maryland, you expect dentists to be professional and provide you with expert care. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case; some dentists make grievous errors or behave negligently when treating patients.
Understanding dental malpractice
Everyone has heard of medical malpractice, but dental malpractice is a lesser-known term. Like doctors, dentists are held to a high standard when treating you for dental issues. They are also supposed to provide you with the appropriate treatment based on your condition. However, if a patient suffers harm after visiting a dentist, they may be entitled to hold the dentist liable for damages. Sadly, dental malpractice is a lot more common than you might think.
Examples of dental malpractice
Dental malpractice can occur in a variety of ways. One example is performing oral surgery on the wrong tooth; this can leave the patient suffering even more pain. It doesn’t address the tooth with the problem and creates further complications. Another way that dental malpractice can occur is through a botched tooth extraction. Dentists are required to perform a smooth procedure that doesn’t cause additional harm to patients.
Failing to properly sterilize dental equipment can lead to patient infection. This is a serious issue that can lead to further health complications. Dentists must also ensure that anesthesia is safe for the patient and that they don’t have allergies; it must also be administered properly to prevent the patient from waking up during a procedure.
Root canal complications are another form of dental malpractice. Dentists can also be held liable if they fail to properly diagnose a patient’s dental problem and treat it appropriately.
Some dentists deliberately perform procedures on patients who don’t need them. This is one of the most egregious forms of dental malpractice and is done for the dentist’s gain. In this situation, the dentist fails to inform the patient and doesn’t get their consent to perform the procedure.
All dental procedures carry some level of risk; however, if you suffer additional harm after seeing a dentist, it might be considered malpractice.
